Interesting to see a couple of threads and alot of comments disappear on another site, although I don’t always agree with everything on this site I appreciate and respect that everyone is entitled to an opinion and have the ability to have their say. The hypocrisy of that site’s post against you is laughable. 

Utah Beach's powerful late rally got him first across the wire for his second consecutive graded stakes win in the May 17 Louisville Stakes (G3T) at Churchill Downs.View the full article

I had no knowledge of those proposals for next season. I can see I am going to get even more despondent.

One wonders if they have stopped breeding any more. If they can do that successfully then maybe we could do same scheme for human beings.

Back then it was run by racing people for racing people. Then we were told that it needed to change and bring in Business people etc, cut down the size of the Board etc and get Racing run as a business instead of as a "club" Well we did all that they asked, didn't we Pam, brought in Corporate Directors etc from the business world for the Board of NZ Thoroughbred Racing, appointed more big wigs to another Board called the Members Council, BUT Nerula I never saw a Communist amongst them 😂  

Journalism rebounded from a runner-up finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1) to post a resilient victory in the $2 million Preakness Stakes (G1) May 17 at Pimlico Race Course.View the full article

What was the driver thinking…. Pulled at the 600m….. Gifted everyone the markers…. Cost his horse….Terrible drive….

Why aren't they out trying to get the general public behind them. For crying out loud the Green Party are pretty insignificant.  But like always those in the industry seem to just meander along letting things take their course, which is going down the path of oblivion. Once it's gone ... It's GONE  This industry has never dealt to the ratbags, an example being one who became president of a greyhound club, just beggars belief. No wonder perception of this industry is so clouded.

I saw that Media Honours' and was surprised that Pat Naden (Wrackler) did not make the list of journalists, nor did Dave Clarkson make the list of commentators. Best wishes to Jamie Searle.

Fort Washington accelerated to an impressive win in the $250,000 Dinner Party Stakes (G3T) May 17 at Pimlico Race Course, crossing the finish line ahead by one length to give trainer Shug McGaughey his sixth win in the historic race.View the full article

Sadly very few real journos left...hope he keeps up the good fight...one of the industry good guys over many many years.

Jamie Searle - terminal but thankful Excellent article by Michael Fallow about a champion of the South   May 17, 2025   Wingatui trainers Terry and Debbie Kennedy, former top South Island jockeys, visit Jamie Searle at the Otago Community Hospice in Dunedin this week.Supplied Jamie Searle is pegging out with a strong sense of uplift. The former Southland Times racing, sport and regional reporter has written thousands of stories for a community that is now gathering support around him as he faces the tail end of a terminal diagnosis for a rare and pretty brutal form of stomach cancer. And now he’s become a story himself. Word of his illness has sparked a detonation of support, making for an uncommonly busy deathbed as he fields calls and messages. All the busier because his stricken situation, until very recently, didn’t stop him making work calls and filing stories from his hospital bed. As he saw it, life in general, and the likes of Easter races in particular, were still providing news that deserved be put out there. “Everyone’s got a story to tell.’’John Hawkins / The Southland Times Tears come readily to him nowadays - “I’ve had my meltdowns’’ - but they’ve more often been of gratitude for the messages and calls he’s received. It’s perhaps not easy for a modest man to say publicly, but he acknowledges that if there’s one phrase he’s found himself saying a lot, lately, it’s “I love you, too . . .’’ As for those messages - quick, Jamie. Pick an example. “Oh, fundraising offers to get me special medicine. Too late, guys. But wasn’t that typical New Zealand? Typical Southland. They get behind you. “I’ve had pillars all around me, helping me along the journey,’’ he said. “I’ll walk into a new world feeling I’ve been lucky. Done what I wanted in life.’’ Searle, 61, spent 36 years at the Times, 28 as a dedicated racing reporter, then moving into other sport, and community reporting. Jamie Searle in his element.Nicole Gourley / The Southland Times The Times was “more than home to me. It was a family,’’ he said. He lightly describes himself as “the slowest reporter in Southland’’ but it has been a characteristic of his career that he has always strongly preferred personal contact to zip-zap phoned interviews. From teenaged sporting up-and-comers to Anzac veterans, to just about anybody he’s ever met at an A & P show, he’s come to realise ‘’everyone’s got a story to tell’’ . “You just need to spend a bit of time with them to get it: People live interesting lives.’’ When necessary, he’s stepped up to cover stories of conflict and reproach, but his nature and his professional approach have always been to more ardently seek stories of achievement and positivity. Jamie Searle, listed among colleagues and friends.Supplied His ardour for racing has never dimmed - he’s owned more than 200 horses in his day, typically those he’s assessed as deserving second chances. He is an inductee into the New Zealand Trotting Hall of Fame’s media honours board. On industry racing programme The Box Seat, presenters recently shared memories and thanks for his “enormous’’ contribution to Southland racing, his support for the south, and his collegial presence as a man who would willingly lend a hand to anyone he could help. An “enormous’’ contribution to the racing industry, in particular.Shaun Yeo / Stuff The thoroughbred, harness and greyhound codes and Ascot Park Consortium have decided to name a piece of lawn that greets racegoers on their arrival at the venue the Jamie Searle Lawn. He’s touched, of course. “If they need a flash mower for it, I”ll buy one for them,’’ he added, brightly.

One month would be lenient, well supported runner ridden into the deck …. Punters totally cheated  In the absence of a slipped saddle I imagine the connections will be far from happy 

I backed it, if it was a 1000m race I would had the quinella. And what about the winning jockeys celebration going over the line? I bet some of the other jockeys told him to pull his head in after the race.

Quite clearly HRNZ are a pack of morons . You dont change rules impleted already at the time of nomination 

She must have got the 1 and the 2 around the wrong way of the race distance. It was 2100 but she rode it like it was only 1200. It would have been a huge shockiff that was ever going to see the distance out!!  

Now I am loathe to bag jocks but what the hell was Portia Matthews doing on Shockiff...if that is not a clear case of an incompetent ride I do not know what is...gave it absolutely zero chance, and should be given a holiday for it...if the stewards think that is OK then I am lost for words....and NO I did not have a cent on it.

I just hope Regan like many doesn't make the same mistake lining him up in the NZ Cup at some stage . Mo'unga for example hasn't been the same since and many in the past I have seen are the same . Would love to see him race one day in the Free for all or even the Auckland Cup or Miracle mile 

I'd like to see Brittany used at the track more. And Greg for that matter. I guess that's the plan for the really big meetings, but Greg are Britt are the two bast on track, so to have them both in the studio is a waste of talent in my opinion. 

I Have a very simple solution to finding the money needed, stop the extra $4mil that is programmed in for the 25/26 season for even more increases to the 50 odd “Summer of Racing” races. Why do those races need even more increases next season, it’s crazy and i dont understand why no one pushed back on that idea. Bering in mind those 50 summer of racing races already have huge stake (approx $20mil) so why the need to increase them again for next season. Surely the extra funds should go towards helping raise the bottom end for the benefit of most of the industry instead of the selected few.